Ask Ken ...

Q. My neighbor gave me some persimmons this fall that had seeds in them. I stuck a seed in a pot with another plant and it grew! Since they are male and female is there anyway to tell which kind I have, and does it matter as long as there are other trees in the neighborhood? — D. Worner, Virginia Beach

A. The big question here is what kind of persimmon do you have? When I followed-up with you by email, you indicated that you were unsure which you have. What did the fruits look like? Diospyros kaki, the Oriental persimmon, has much larger fruits that may be 2 to 4 inches in diameter. The trees themselves are smaller and less hardy (Zones 7-11) than our natives. On our native, the fruits are much smaller.

Bottom-line, persimmon sex is complicated. While true that Diospyros virginiana, our native persimmon, is dioecious (sexes on separate plants), it takes two to tango. But, sometimes female trees may bear male flowers, while other times there may be some perfect flowers, (both male and female parts). In the latter case, the flower is capable of pollinating itself.

Plants are generally pollinated by bees or other insects, but also possible to some extent by wind if plants are in close proximity. In orchards, it is recommended a planting ratio of 1 male to 8 females. In contrast to our native, the Oriental persimmon is self-fruiting. And if all of this is not complicated enough, some cultivars are parthenocarpic (this word is derived from “parthenos,” meaning virgin, and “karpos” meaning fruit). This all means that the fruit develops without fertilization, thus no seeds.

How to sex trees? Female flowers are typically borne singularly, while male flowers are sometimes in groups of two and three. Female flowers are slightly larger and are borne closer to the stem, whereas males flowers hang somewhat. And to throw you one last curve ball ...

From seed, it may take up to 10 years for the native persimmon to become reproductively mature. It’s that juvenile/adult thing. Better to save that topic for another time.

Q. I have a major problem with moles; what can I do? — F. Brinkley, Hampton

A. Aside from a good mole hound, which is not easy on your lawn, there are no easy answers. I’ll refer you to a couple of publications I recommended in October 2016, particularly the later one, on Voles and Moles from Virginia Tech Cooperative Extension at bit.ly/molesandvoles, and the other on Voles from UC IPM Pest Notes at bit.ly/meadowmicemanage. You'll be a vole/mole expert if you read them, but I'll distill these down for you. Excluding and trapping seem to be the most viable solutions. The efficacy of baits seems to be inconclusive at best. They are somewhat difficult to use and may pose a danger to desirable critters and pets. Good luck and let me know if you find the miracle cure for these pesky creatures.

And one more thing ...

Email your questions/address and receive a complimentary package of seeds if your question is chosen for publication.

Send questions to wkspen@gmail.com or to Home + Living c/o The Virginian-Pilot, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk VA 23510.

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Welcome to the discussion.

We strive to be fair and accurate in our reporting. In turn, we ask
that you remain civil and open-minded in your responses. Comments
should be relevant to the topic at hand, factual and thoughtful.
The comments section is like a letter to the editor, not a chat
room. Please read the full commenting rules before posting.